U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,311 (the '311 patent) discloses a panoramic camera with masking plates selectively movable for masking the exposure aperture so as to form a picture of a panoramic size or for opening the whole exposure aperture to form a picture of standard size. As shown in FIG. 2 of the '311 patent, a complex mechanical linkage is used to move the masking plates between their two positions. A camera operator moves a knob 36 between two positions to move the masking plates via the linkage. Included in the linkage are a drive lever 22, an upper lever 23, a charging spring 24, a lower lever 26, a restoration spring 28, a slide lever 32, a coupling portion 33, and so on.
The mechanical linkage of the '311 patent involves a large number of parts which both increases the size and cost of the camera. Additionally, the mechanical linkage must intrude into a light locked chamber within the camera in order to move the masking plates. Such intrusion requires the addition of light blocking features, such as a light shroud, at the point of intrusion to prevent light from entering the chamber. The necessity of a light blocking feature further increases the size and cost of the camera. Further, a camera operator must apply force to a switch to mechanically move the masking plates from one position to another. Such force is greater than the force required to close an electrical switch, and thus, the camera is not as user friendly as it could be.
The Olympus Stylus Panoramic camera includes a pair of panoramic blades which are mechanically moved, via a linkage, between the panoramic and normal positions. A pair of permanent magnets on the back cover of the camera hold the blades in the panoramic position during panoramic photography.